Containers and container closures

Abstract

A container can include a container body, a container top, a closure, and a closure seal. The container top can be connected to the container body. The container top includes a first opening and a second opening. The closure is selectively connected to the container top to control access to the first opening and the second opening. The closure seal is positioned between the closure and the container top. The closure seal comprises a first sealing surface and a second sealing surface. The first sealing surface is sized and configured to at least partially seal the first opening when the closure is connected to the container top. The second sealing surface is sized and configured to at least partially seal the second opening when the closure is connected to the container top.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A container comprising:
 a container body; 
 a container top connected to the container body, the container top including a first opening and a second opening; 
 a closure selectively connected to the container top to control access to the first opening and the second opening; and 
 a closure seal positioned between the closure and the container top, the closure seal comprising:
 a first sealing surface that is sized and configured to at least partially seal the first opening when the closure is connected to the container top; and 
 a second sealing surface that is sized and configured to at least partially seal the second opening when the closure is connected to the container top, wherein: 
 the closure is selectively connected to the container top via a threaded connection; 
 the first opening in the container top includes a central portion that is aligned with a central axis of the container top; 
 the closure includes an inner portion that is aligned with the central axis of the container top when the closure is connected to the container top, the inner portion of the closure at least partially sealing the first opening in the container top; and 
 the second sealing surface of the closure seal has a ring-shaped configuration and the second sealing surface is complementary to an upper surface of the second opening of the container top. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The container of  claim 1 , wherein the threaded connection comprises inner threads located around the first opening in the container top and outer threads located on an inner portion of the closure. 
     
     
       3. The container of  claim 1 , wherein the closure seal, including both the first sealing surface and the second sealing surface, comprises a single unitary component. 
     
     
       4. The container of  claim 1 , wherein the closure seal comprises two separate components that are not directly connected to each other, including a first component that includes the first sealing surface and a second component that includes the second sealing surface. 
     
     
       5. The container of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the second sealing surface of the closure seal comprises a first frustoconical surface; and 
 an upper surface of the second opening lies on a second frustoconical surface that is complementary to the first frustoconical surface. 
 
     
     
       6. The container of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the second sealing surface of the closure seal lies on a first frustoconical surface; and 
 an upper surface of the second opening lies on a second frustoconical surface that is complementary to the first frustoconical surface. 
 
     
     
       7. The container of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the second sealing surface of the closure seal lies in a first planar surface; and 
 an upper surface of the second opening lies on a second planar surface that is complementary to the first planar surface. 
 
     
     
       8. The container of  claim 1 , wherein the closure seal is coupled to the closure and remains coupled to the closure when the closure is disconnected from the container top. 
     
     
       9. A container comprising:
 a container body that includes a reservoir; 
 a container top selectively connected to the container body, the container top defining a first opening and a second opening; 
 a closure removably connected to the container top; 
 a first sealing portion that selectively covers and seals the first opening; 
 a second sealing portion that selectively covers and seals the second opening; and 
 a biasing member that selectively biases the second sealing portion against the second opening; 
 wherein the biasing member is configured to bias the second sealing portion against the second opening as the closure is removed from the container top such that the first opening is configured to open before the second opening as the closure is removed from the container top. 
 
     
     
       10. The container of  claim 9 , wherein the first sealing portion, the second sealing portion, and the biasing member are comprised by a single, monolithic closure seal sized and shaped to be connected to the closure. 
     
     
       11. The container of  claim 10 , wherein the closure comprises an inner portion and an outer portion and the seal is positioned at least partially between the inner portion and the outer portion of the closure. 
     
     
       12. The container of  claim 9 , wherein the second sealing portion has an opening sized and shaped to receive a portion of the closure. 
     
     
       13. The container of  claim 12 , wherein the second sealing portion comprises an annular surface or a frustoconical surface that extends at least partially around the opening of the second sealing portion. 
     
     
       14. The container of  claim 9 , wherein the biasing member comprises a resilient material such that the biasing member biases the second sealing portion against the second opening when the biasing member is compressed between the closure and the container top. 
     
     
       15. The container of  claim 9 , wherein the first opening is configured to open and at least partially release pressure from the container body as the closure is removed before the second opening opens. 
     
     
       16. The container of  claim 9 , further comprising a conduit coupled to the container top and fluidly coupled to the second opening, the conduit extending at least partially into the container body. 
     
     
       17. The container of  claim 9 , wherein the first sealing portion comprises a first seal and the second sealing portion comprises a second seal. 
     
     
       18. The container of  claim 9 , wherein the second sealing portion is configured to deform to be positioned at least partially into the second opening when the biasing member biases the second sealing portion against the second opening. 
     
     
       19. The container of  claim 9 , wherein the first sealing portion comprises an annular flange extending at least partially around at least a portion of the closure. 
     
     
       20. The container of  claim 9 , wherein the first opening is larger than the second opening. 
     
     
       21. The container of  claim 9 , wherein the closure is connectable to and removable from the container top by rotation of at least one of the closure or the container top relative to the other about aligned central axes of the closure and the container top. 
     
     
       22. A closure assembly for a container comprising:
 a container top having a first opening and a second opening; 
 a closure removably connected to the container top; and 
 one or more seals, the one or more seals comprising:
 a first sealing portion sized and shaped to seal the first opening; 
 a second sealing portion sized and shaped to seal the second opening; and 
 a biasing member configured to bias the second sealing portion against the second opening; 
 
 wherein the biasing member is configured to bias the second sealing portion against the second opening as the closure is removed from the container top such that the first opening opens before the second opening as the closure is removed from the container top. 
 
     
     
       23. The closure assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the second sealing portion is sized and shaped to be inserted between an inner portion and an outer portion of the closure. 
     
     
       24. The closure assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the second sealing portion has an opening sized and shaped to receive a portion of the closure. 
     
     
       25. The closure assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the first sealing portion is sized and shaped to be inserted between an inner portion of the closure and the container top. 
     
     
       26. The closure assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the second sealing portion comprises an annular surface or a frustoconical surface that extends at least partially around at least a portion of the closure and the second sealing portion is configured to deform to be positioned at least partially into the second opening when the biasing member biases the second sealing portion against the second opening. 
     
     
       27. The closure assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the first opening is larger than the second opening. 
     
     
       28. The closure assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the closure comprises a first thread and the container top comprises a second thread complementary to the first thread. 
     
     
       29. The closure assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the container top is selectively connectable to a container body and the container top comprises a first thread complementary to a second thread of the container body.